Thomas Beckett was born around 1118 in London. His parents were middle class merchants who sent him to a good school taught by monks. There he began learning not only his lessons, but also how to control his quick temper. His hard work helped him to become one of the most powerful men in England-the Chancellor to King Henry II. Later, when the ambitious king appointed Thomas to be the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas knew that he would be forced to choose between serving God or king.

Level 2 books are about 90-96 pages each and are written for about a fourth grade reading level or higher, although some third graders are able to read them as well because of the large print size and double spacing between lines. This series has books about well-known saints, but it also includes stories about saints and other Catholics that you don't hear about very often.